Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-04-30
Cupid on Donkey-back-Islan Cow
cred with Ruins, and Others
Abandoned to Reptiles-Etc.
Especial REcoRD-UNIoN Correspondence. l

Terminus, on the Gulf coast of Campeche.
is the largest lake of the country but the
latter is merely a salt bay, and no lake at
all.
On the whole, Mexico is very poorly
supplied with water. Owing to the narrow
form of the continent, which prevents the
collection of great bodies of water, there
are few navigable streams, and most of
them have sand-bars at their mouths. with
not more than three feet of water at low
tide. Several of these streams could be
made navigable at small expense and GER
tainly the noble Rio Grande de Santiago
deserves to be utilized to greater advantage
than is possible in its present condition,
As long ago as when Humboldt was here,
he was enthusiastic on the possibilities of
this beautiful river, which is longer than
the Rhone or the Elbe, and should be
transporting to the western coast the sur
plus grains and fruits from the great States
of Jalisco and Guanajuato.
SPRINGS ARE VERY SCARCE
In Mexico, and many rivers flow into deep
mountain beds without receiving smaller
tributaries while the intense heat, causing
rapid evaporation on light soil covering
porous rocks, renders the surface unfit to
produce any vegetation except the cacti
and palm family without copious irriga-
ton.
Among the inland bodies of fresh water.
lakes PatZcuaro and CuitzeS rank next in
importance to Chapala. On the great GEN.
trail plateau are the remains of many lakes
most of them now but shallow lagoons, as
in the valley of Mexico and the plains OF
Para. They are all that is left of the great
basins that once existed on the high plateau
of the Cordillera, and having dwlndled
HI Of
the day is not distant when they will be
entired dried. The majority of these have
no outlet, and therefore the water is salt.
But to return to our..di del campo. In
any other country an eighty-mile jaunt
Ground trip on horseback, mostly through
desert region, would be considered any
thing but picnic" but Mexicans, male
and female, are great riders, apparently as
much at home in the saddle as in the rock
ing. chair. Especially in these remote DIS
tricts they are trained to the exercise al
most from infancy, there having been no
other means of getting about because i'm
ported carriages There are none made in
Mexico), what with the duties and the
difficulties of transporting them over the
mountains, have been too expensive for
any but the few OF enormous wealth to
dream of possessing.
in the twilight of an early morning-a
merry cavalcade who breakfasted and
lunched from well-flled hampers al fresco
by the wayside and arrived in time for
evening dinner at the hacienda of Senior
Alzuyeta, ten miles this side of the lake.
Next morning we set out betimes for
Chapala-our number greatly increased by
guests from the casa-spent a delightful
day upon the peaceful waters and among
the many islands, returning before night
fall to the hospitable hacienda.
Senior Alzuyeta and his amiable wife
were the originators of the excursion, and
though they did not accompany us to the
lake, the family was eharmingly repre-
sented by two blooming young daughters
and an exceedingly handsome big
brother"
THE HOME OF THE ALzUYETAs
Is unique in its way, with little furniture
like all Mexican country houses), but
what there is being very handsome. most
of it having been brought from Spain by
titled ancestors, nearly two centuries ago.
The dining hall-a noble apartment, capa-
BILE of seating three hundred persons
opens into garden, which is kept in beau
tiful order, with fine trees, clear tanks,
spark ling fountains, and roses of extraor-
binary beauty and profusion, ever in this
land of flowers. Our hostess called it IAN
English garden" but it was decidedly
more Oriental in appearance, the walks
and fountains tiled around in Moorish
style ornamented with Chinese figures and
square China vases of great value.
Walking under arches formed by care
fully trained rose-trees, some ingenious
continuance cast tiny spray of water from
the center of each bush which sprinkled
US with a perfumed shower.
But the prettiest thing was great tank
of clear water, inclosed on three sides by a
Chinese building, around which runs a
piazza with stone pillars, shaded by soft
drapery OF white curtains. Cushioned sofas
are ranged along this piazza, and beyond
is large room where one may dress after
bathing. 1t is the loveliest and coolest
place imaginable, entirely surrounded by
orange trees and hedge of roses higher
than the house-top. Here one may lie at
MONDAY with the world and the sun COM
pletely shut out, in a summer retreat fit for
a Sultana, or may enjoy a bath as luxuri-
Gus as that OF Northumberland, the poet
king-and not unlike it, if history be true
Both evenings at the hacienda we were
sumptuously entertained, with a number
of guests who were spending some time in
the casa, by music, dancing and midnight
feast-after the fashion of the Mexicans,
who go straight to bed from the last meal.
The orange trees in the patio, beneath
which the feast was spread, were hung
with Chinese lanterns, and the grounds be-
yond Illuminated with blazing torches of fir.
The music by which we tripped 1.-THE
light fantastic was band composed ex-
clusiveiy of guitars-and wonderfully good
music they made. In the intervals of
waltz, fandango and zapalero, the self
taught country musicians edited us with
airs from Puritani " and "Straniera, re-
we'll rendered, considering their
lack of advantages for acquiring the art
and that they have no sheet music, but
have simply learned ''by ear" mostly
from the performances of the military
band at Guadalsjara.
THE MEALS IN THE CASA DE ALzUYErA
Are essentially Mexican, every dish being
peculiar to the country, and of course pre-
pared by native cooks. The table, which
during our stay was laid under the bios
soming trees of the patio, was always orna-
mented, according to the taste of the gar
dener, with huge pyramids of flowers and
little bouquets tied up tightly in pineapple
form. At dinners there was invariably
mole-meat stewed in red chill, fiery
enough with that hottest of peppers to ex-
coriate throat not copper-lined; boiled
nopals-the large, greenish fruit of that
species of cacti called ''prickiy pear :" ba-
nanas fried in grease; green chill served
in various sauces; .ti1yoles Drown beans
stewed in lard, and often eaten with the
addition of moiasses or curdled goats milk;
hot tortillas (corn griddle cakes), of course
without butter, which does not grow"
here; delicious curd cheese, made from
goats milk, to be eaten with honey or
Suava Jelly, and en- infinite variety of trop-
i al fruits.
Ateyery Mexican dinner the third course
is Duchero, Immediately following the caido
(bio,h) and sopa of stewed rice, macaroni
or vermicelli 1t consists of everything
edible that can possibly be boiled-beef
mutton, bacon, sausage, chicken, with
small gourds green apples and pears, gar
ba,tzos Ca large white seed and various
yegetables-all cooked together in one pot
and served at once upon your heaped-up
plate, accompanied by sauce of sweet
herbs. chilli and tomatoes.
The first evening we varied the dancing
by playing at jaegos de prendas-games
with forfeits-w which were made very anus
ing by the lively Imagination of the ladies
in inventing punishments for their cdbal-
legos. One of the senoritas visiting at the
casa, from distant part of Jalisco, was